Thesis Quickstart Glen Koué Research Librarian Dudley Knox Library (831)

Thesis Process A thesis is a process as well as a product There are steps to the process Know your required steps Create a plan with a schedule for those steps Do not underestimate the time each step will take Time management is key Take charge of the process

Thesis Steps Literature review (ongoing) Select a topic Select an advisor Develop a research methodology Write the thesis proposal Conduct the research Analyze the data Draft the thesis Submit for advisor review Submit thesis for Dept Chair review Submit thesis for Thesis Processor review

Literature Review Ongoing throughout thesis process Synthesize and evaluate existing research Identify what is and is not known in literature Develop and refine your topic Develop and refine your research methodology

Topic The topic should be of interest to you Researchable Achievable in the time frame Ways to select a topic Your Classes Literature review Your advisor Department’s and Professors’ lists of thesis topics Departmental thesis opportunity presentations NPS Theses “Topics for Further Research” sections

Advisor Start considering potential advisors early Choose an advisor who is supportive of you An ally may be more important than a subject matter expert Communicate and meet regularly Be clear on expectations: What does your advisor expect of you What you can expect from your advisor

Proposal Overview Background information, scope, significance What is known about the issue? Literature review What is your research question(s)? Be clear and explicit How are you going to answer it? Research methodology What are the milestones? Research with human subjects

Research Research Assistance Journal articles & books Not just those at NPS NPS Theses Bibliographies as starting points Need to be comprehensive Keep thorough notes on: Research strategies Citation information Aim your class work towards your thesis

Writing Write as you research Don’t need to write chapters in order Use a specific citation style consistently Must use NPS Thesis format Use the NPS Thesis Template Expect to go through revisions Research and writing guides Editors

Review Process Take turn-around time into consideration Advisor’s review is an iterative process Institutional Review Board review Limited Distribution review Department Chair review Thesis Processor review

Theses Processor Thesis Processor’s Website Thesis Brief Required in last quarter (Go earlier) Thesis Templates, Forms, Instructions SharePoint Submission Help

Theses Quickstart A web page of resources is linked from the Library’s Help page. The direct url is: /Guides/ThesisResources.html